All Tithes Were LAND Related

Every single tithe that is mentioned in the Bible was given when the giver and the recipient were living INSIDE the promised land.

A. Described Tithes:

• 1. Abram's Tithe

Both Melchizadek and Abram were inside the promised land when the firstever recorded tithing event happened.

• 2. Jacob's Tithe.

Jacob made a conditional vow to tithe in Bethel which is inside the promised land.

Jacob vowed that he would tithe if God brings, him back to the Isaac (who was living inside the promised land) safely.

B. Prescribed Tithes:

• Levitical Tithes: Leviticus 27:30-33.

Jews were supposed to transport the tithes to the Levitical cities (obviously inside the promised land) in exchange to religious services performed by the Levites.

• Festival Tithes: Tithes were taken to Jerusalem during one of the 3 pilgrimage festivals.
• Charity Tithes: Tithes were eaten by widows, orphans and strangers within the city gates.

The tithing system did not take effect when the Jews lived in Egypt and during their journey in the wilderness. The Levitical Priesthood survived WITHOUT the tithes during the wilderness. This totally contrary to many tithe advocates who think that a local church cannot function without the attendees paying the tithes!

Please note: The original boundaries of the promised land according to Genesis 15:18 In that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: 'Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates; However the “core” of the promised land is west of river Jordan. The tithing system did not take effect until the “manna” stopped falling and the Levitical cities were established. It is also clear from Deuteronomy 6:1-3, 12:1, 10-11 proves that the Jews were not even required to tithe until crossing the river Jordan. It was obvious that the trans-Jordan tribes Gad, Reuben and the half tribe of Manasseh who got their inheritance ahead of the other tribes did not start tithing until the following conditions were fulfilled:

• The rest of the tribes crossed river Jordan
• The Manna stopped falling
• Levitical cities such as Ramoth Gilead, Jazer, Mahanaim, Heshbon, Bezer, Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaat and Golan were established east of Jordan.

After The Destruction Of The 1st Temple:

During Captivity:

During the Assyrian and Babylonian captivity periods, Jews did not practice tithing because they lived outside the promised land.

No mention about Ezekiel (receiving), Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach & Abed Nego giving tithes.

No mention about Esther, Mordechai and the Jews who killed their enemies during Purim tithing.

Post-Exile Period:

After different groups of Jews started arriving at the promised land, post exile leaders such as Ezra and Nehemiah taught them the scriptures and instituted the tithing system again.

The most misused and abused tithe verses in Malachi 3:6-12, point to the storehouses (storage barns/chambers for tithes) inside the promised land.

During The Time of Lord Jesus:

In the New Testament period, Jesus mentioned about the Pharisees tithing while they were still living inside the promised land. (Matthew 23:23 & Luke 11:42)

In the Luke 18:12 parable also, the self-righteous Pharisee was bragging about his way of tithing when he and the tax collector (a non-tither), when both men went up to the temple to pray (Luke 18:10) INSIDE the promised land!

Post-Resurrection:

Hebrews chapter 7 also describes about tithing events inside the promised land.

Therefore in the Bible no one ever gave or received tithes while living OUTSIDE the promised land.

In Acts 4:36-37, Barnabas, the Levite was able to "own" a piece of land in Cyprus (because he happened to live outside the promised land).

In this particular incident, the usual tithe recipient had become a giver, not 10% of the value but 100% of the value.

A Levite "owning" a land and paying tithes and offerings to non-Levites (in this case 100%) also proves that the early Christians did not practice tithing and the end of the Levitical Priesthood.

Hebrews 7:12 


For when the priesthood changes, a change in the law must come as well. 

Our modern day tithe teachers are only interested about what they can get and totally ignore who received the tithes, the relationship between the land and the tithes and the materials involved in the tithing system.

Now the big question?

Are Jews living in the nation of Israel obligated to tithe just because they are living inside the promised land?

No, according to Hebrews 7:12 the Levitical Priesthood has been abolished, God’s presence no longer dwells in the “Holy of Holies”, there is no temple. The Jews who live inside Israel do not tithe.

Are Messianic Jews (Christian Jews) who live inside the nation of Israel obligated to tithe?

No, not at all. There is no Levitical priesthood in Christianity and no “Pastor” is authorized to collect tithes. It was obvious from the Barnabas incident that early Christians did not consider Levites as Christian ministers nor a Christian minister as “spiritual Levite”. No Christian can change Agricultural tithes to money. Even if they happen to be farmers inside Israel they cannot tithe because no tithe recipient in the New Testament.

Are gentile Christians (such as Arab Christians and Greek Orthodox) supposed to tithe if they live inside Israel?

No. Tithing was never ordained for gentiles. Please read Acts 15. If tithing was commanded for gentiles, the people of Nineveh, the Queen of Sheba, the Ethiopian minister who was baptized by Philip, the evangelist would have tithed or asked to tithe!

Psalms 147:19 He declares his word to Jacob,  his statutes and rules to Israel.
Psalms 147:20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;  they do not know his rules.
Praise the Lord!